Note: some spoilers exist in this review and should be read only by those GMs who intend to run a high level campaign.

Primus Gearheart is yet another denizen of the Tarnished Souk and a traveler in the Plane of Dreams. Role play opportunities abound with Primus and he has a number of tasks for PCs and enemies to defeat. Should the PCs impress him with their ingenuity, he also has some unique rewards for them as well. He provides ample opportunity for a Game Master to introduce his players to the complexities of the Plane of Dreams and find adventure in the Coliseum Morpheon beyond that which has been provided in the original supplement. This along with the multiple CR stat blocks and the section on creating a Clockwork Creature make Primus an essential addition to the Tarnished Souk.

Of course there is also the possibility that Primus can help the PCs in turn. Primus sells goods from the mundane to the magical and even clockwork constructs, if the PCs promise to treat them well. It is possible that Primus can craft Ironborn technologies onto the PCs themselves, though a separate supplement by Rite Publishing would need to be purchased for this “template” should a GM not wish to design his or her own.

What didn’t really interest me as much was some of Primus’s back story, particularly the often overdone trope of unrequited robot love. This is very minor though and can be ignored quite easily as there are plenty of other tasks. Some may find his more “human” side makes Primus even more interesting. I did like Primus’s other motivations particularly with regards to freeing other clockworks and constructs from slavery imposed upon them by the organic. Depending upon the make-up and possessions of your PCs, this could either place the PCs at odds with Primus or make them instant allies.

I rate Primus Gearheart at 4 of 5 stars due to some back story elements and for the fact that a separate supplement is needed to make full use of Primus’s benefits. Primus makes an essential part of the Tarnished Souk, so I would not want to exclude him when bring my PCs to this place. So far I have been very impressed with the denizens of the Tarnished Souk. Each one adds interest, complexity and excitement to a high level campaign. I hope to see many more clever ideas from the folks at Rite Publishing.